Bulldozer with laterally adjustable blade



Oct. 3, 1961 B. F. TURBYFILL 3,002,300

BULLDOZER WITH LATERALLY ADJUSTABLE BLADE Filed April 28, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 f l: l E L 0 5 /3 Z4 v 7 7 34 W QM lm Kw /4 O l: O 0 -Z OI" J a o l/ a 4 o /j z3 Z 4 Oct. 3, 1961 B. F. TURBYFILI.

BULLDOZER WITH LATERALLY ADJUSTABLE BLADE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April28, 1959 INVENTOR. BEA/MMM F 72/@5 YF/LL forma Filed Apr. 28, 1959, Ser.No. 809,380 1 Claim. (Cl. 37-'144) This invention relates to bulldozersand particularly to an improved bulldozer which includes means to shiftor adjust the blade laterally with respect to the tractor upon which itis mounted so that upon making a side or bank cut, the tendency of thetractor to skew is reduced.

Conventional bulldozer blades are considerably wider than the tractorsupon which they are mounted. As a result, a side cut into a bank wheremost of the load is imposed at one end of the blade results in twistingor skewing of the tractor out of its intended path of travel. Thisnecessitates frequent correction through steering which is -diicult forthe operator and results in an uneven cut rather than the constantsmooth cut desired.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a bulldozer with ablade that may be shifted laterally to bring either end thereof asnearly into line with the side of the tractor as possible to reduce theleverage which tends to turn or skew the tractor while a side cut isbeing made.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple power actuatedmeans for shifting the blade.

A still further object is to provide the means described in combinationwith a bulldozer wherein the blade may be adjusted angularly and tiltedvertically all through the same braces which are adjustable toaccommodate lateral shifting.

Further objects and advantages of the invention and the manner in whichit is carried into practice are made apparent in the followingspecification wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a laterally adjustable bulldozer shown in placeon a tractor which is illustrated schematically;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the bulldozer with partsshown in section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the parts indilerent positions from those illustrated in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 -is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation with parts shown insection; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail with parts in section taken on the lineV--V of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a bulldozer blade is shown assupported forwardly of a C-frame 11 which is pivoted to the truck frame,not shown, of a tractor illustrated at 12 through the medium oftrunnions 13 which permit raising and lowering of the C-frame and blade.The vertical adjustment of the C-frame may be accomplished through anysuitable means herein shown as a cable and sheaves, generally indicatedat 14, actuated by a power drive from the tractor engine by means, notshown, in a conventional manner.

The blade 10 is supported with respect to the C-frame 11 for angularadjustment by means of a clevis 15 and clevis pin 16 most clearly shownin FIG. 4 and it is stabilized in any position of adjustment bytriangular braces which, as shown in FIG. 2, include a telescoping link17. This link is connected at one end by a ball and socket joint 18 withthe C-frame and at its opposite end by a universal fitting 19 with thelower portion of the blade 10. The telescoping link 17 may be fixed inany position of adjustment by means of a pin 20 extend- "ice 2 ingthrough suitable perforations in its inner and outer telescoping parts.The link 17 carries an upwardly and forwardly extending arm 21 having anadjustable jack screw connection22 with the upper portion of the blade10 through another universal connection shown at 23. Additional sockets24 are provided on the C-frame 11 for reception of the ball end of thelink 17 for acute angular adjustments. Tilting of the blade forwardly orrearwardly with respect to a vertical plane may be accomplished byadjustment of the jack screw 22 in a conventional manner.

In accordance with the present invention, a slidable connection isprovided between the blade 10 and the C- frame 11 to permit lateraladjustment of the blade and this connection comprises a C-shaped rail 25secured to the back of the blade to slidably receive an interlockingblock 26 formed integrally with the clevis 15. The rail 25 is providedwith a plurality of spaced holes 27 for the reception of a locking pin28 adapted to pass through a hole in the rail 25 for securing it in aposition of adjustment against sliding movement on block 26. The slidingblock may be confined in its movement to the length of the rail 25 bythe use of pins 29 in suitable holes adjacent the ends of the rail.

A double acting jack 30 adapted to be actuated by hydraulic fluid underpressure or the like has its piston rod pivotally connected as at 31 tothe blade and its head end connected as by a ball and socket joint 32 tothe C-frame in such a position that extension or retraction of the jackwill tend to impart lateral movement to the blade with respect to theC-frame and tractor. The jack may be connected to any source of Huidunder pressure as is conventional practice in connection with theadjustment of tractor mounted implements of various kinds and willpreferably be controlled by a suitable valve located in a convenientposition for actuation by the tractor operator.

In FIG. l of the drawings, the blade 10 is illustrated in its extremeright hand position of adjustment in readiness for making 'a left bankcut and in this position, the left end of the blade is substantially inalignment with the left side of the C-frame 11 which limits the approachof the tractor toward the cut. Thus the moment arm or leverage tendingto turn the tractor in reaction to the load imposed by reducing the cutis as short as possible.

Lateral adjustment of the blade is accomplished by first removing one ofthe pins 20 from an adjustable link 17 and the pin 28 from the rail 25.With these two pins removed, the jack 30 is actuated to effect movementof the blade 10 in the desired direction and when the extent of movementis attained the pin 28 is replaced. This leaves the blade in a positionof angular adjustment and the angularity may be further adjusted or theblade brought to its normal transverse position by removing the other ofthe pins 20 from the opposite link 17 and then again actuating the jack30 to swing the blade about the clevis pin 16 until the desiredangularity is obtained. At this time, both of the pins are replaced andthe bulldozer is ready for operation.

Additional sockets 34 like the sockets 24 are provided forwardly of thesockets 18 on the C-frame and may be used for the triangular braces insome positions of adjustment. One of these sockets is also available asan alternate connection for the inner end of the jack 30 as illustratedin broken lines in FIG. 3 when it is desired to make acute adjustmentsof the blade.

I claim:

In a bulldozer which includes a blade supported forwardly of a tractorby a C-frame or the like, a clevis pivoted to the central forwardportion of the C-frame, a guide rail on the back of the blade, aperforate portion on the clevis slidable in said guide rail, said guiderail having spaced perforations for a locking pin adapted to passthrough the perforation in the clevis, an extensible 3 brace betweeneach side of the C-frame and the adjacent end of the blade, and jackmeans connecting the C-frame and blade whereby the blade` may be shiftedlaterally by removing the locking pin, adjustingsaid extensible bracesone at a` time and imparting angling movement tothe 5 blade with thejack means.

References Citedkin the 'ler of this ,patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

2,224,725 F61: Dec. 1o, 1940 10 Low Feb. 18, 1941 Owen Aug. 26, 1947Allan Aug. 21, 1951 Perkins Oct. 16, 1956 Brant Jan. 15, 1957 LeliterJuly 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 20, 1946

